THE Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bolton welcomed the government’s announcement that all students on practice-based courses will be able to return to campus from March 8.
Professor George E Holmes DL said the news was “encouraging” and stressed that students in the health faculty and teacher training had been on campus throughout the latest lockdown.
Prof Holmes said: “The University of Bolton has been open for business as usual since the outbreak of the pandemic a year ago.
“Even since the latest lockdown in January, our 700 nursing students and teacher training students have been attending Bolton’s Covid-secure campus for vital face-to-face teaching.
“At the University of Bolton, we have many UK leading courses that involve students needing teaching time in workshops and laboratories. These include our renowned special effects, dental and motorsport engineering courses.
“I am therefore very pleased that they will be able to return to campus from early next month.”
The government also confirmed there would be a formal review in mid-April to consider whether students on other courses, currently being delivered exclusively online because of the national lockdown, can return to face-to-face teaching on campus.
The University of Bolton has spent approximately £1.5m since the start of the pandemic to ensure that its campus is Covid-secure.
These measures included:
* Installing sophisticated airport-style walk-through temperature scanners at every building entry.
* Making 1,000 bicycles available for free loan by students, enabling them to avoid crowded public transport.
* Providing regular socially distanced face-to-face tutorials, laboratory experience, access to arts studios and specialist facilities.
* Implementing an effective scheduling system, limiting significantly the number of students on campus at any one time to keep everyone secure.
* Dividing sessions for access on campus into set times per day, for example, possibly between 8am-2pm and 2pm-8pm.
* Strictly observing recommended social distancing guidelines at all times.
* Making the wearing of face coverings on campus compulsory for the foreseeable future to safeguard everyone’s safety.
* Carefully managed walking routes including one-way navigation.
* Multiple ‘learning zones’ being created across the campus, by identifying and transforming large spaces into areas featuring tables with plastic dividing screens to allow communication between people facing one another.
* Instigating a rigorous cleansing programme throughout all university buildings.
* Special Master’s programmes were launched for those who wanted to take the opportunity to continue learning rather than face a depressed jobs market.
Prof Holmes said: “I am pleased by the announcement of the roadmap from the Prime Minister.
“We shall ensure, as we have done since the beginning of this crisis, that students and staff are able to attend campus as and when appropriate with their safety as our number one priority.”
The university is also keen that final-year students do not miss out on end-of-university-life celebrations and is drawing up plans to host graduation ceremonies in some form, dependent on the Covid situation.
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